Category: System Status

Update 3 – Connectivity issue between Ukiah and Fremont

7:45PM – Unfortunately this update isn’t much of an update, except to say that the very large international carrier is still trying to get spares on-site to replace the failed line card.
I appreciate how frustrating it is to not be receiving a firm estimated time of repair in these messages. Unfortunately I can only pass on what little information I can get each time I wait on-hold, for sometimes over an hour for an update from the provider.
Hopefully more positive updates to follow soon.
Thanks,
– Jacob

Update – Connectivity issue between Ukiah and Fremont

The source of the connectivity problem appears to have been found within one of our fiber provider’s networks and they have dispatched technicians to diagnose and repair.  Unfortunately I have not yet received an estimated time of repair from the provider as they are still en route.
If you happen to have my personal cell phone number I would like to remind you that it *is not a support line*, and calling me while I am awaiting important calls from technicians attempting to restore service only slows the process down.
More updates to follow.
Thanks,
– Jacob

Upcoming changes – your participation is required – *Please Read*

Dear SeaKay Broadband subscriber,
There are some upcoming changes to our business that we need your participation in.  Please read below to find out what is happening.

*What’s changing?*
Beginning August 1, 2020 we will begin operating under the business name Happy Cycling LLC and start to phase out use of the SeaKay Broadband name.  Beginning this week (7-20-202), we will also be migrating all subscriber accounts who signed up before November of 2019 to our new billing system.  Aside from the name change and the billing system migration, there will be no changes to the services you receive from us.

*What do you need to do?*
We will begin migrating accounts to the new billing system this week.  This process will most likely take a few months to complete.  Below are the steps:

– Once your account is activated in the new system, *you will receive a welcome email*.  *Please* read the welcome email.  This email contains a link to the *new billing portal*. – Please login to the new billing portal and update your payment information.  Your payment information *must be updated*.  We *cannot* transfer the encrypted credit or debit card data between the billing systems.

– Your billing portal username is the *primary email address* on your account.  Your temporary billing portal password is your *10 digit phone number + your street number*.  For example, if your phone number is *7073761234* and your street address is *776 South State Street*, your password would be *7073761234776*.  You may (and are encouraged to) change this password upon logging in.

– If you have trouble with the new billing portal please call us at 707-376-1234 and we can enter your payment information.

– In the event that your payment information hasn’t been updated a few days after your account has been activated, we will call you to obtain your updated payment information.  In the event that we need to call, it will be myself, Clay, or Kolby that you hear from.

– Once your account is activated in the new billing system and your payment info updated, there is nothing more you need to do.  your old billing portal account will be deactivated automatically and your payment info removed.

Thank you for taking the time to read this email and updating your account once you’ve received the activation email.  If you have any questions about the transition, get stuck along the way with the new billing portal, or anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact us.  It’s been a pleasure to provide service to you and I look forward to doing so for many years to come.

Thank you,

– Jacob

Why the change?
A long story short – Back in 2011 Kim (McNab Ranch Net) and I met and started helping each other out with projects on our individual networks.  In 2013 we decided to combine our two networks under what was essentially a co-op business model.  Kim at the time, was also working with a 501(c)3 called SeaKay, Inc. to get McNab Ranch Net off the ground.  We called the joint venture SeaKay Broadband and worked together, under the umbrella of the 501(c)3 until Kim’s retirement in 2018.  Beginning in 2017, I started laying the groundwork for the eventual change and today, here we are.

McNab Ranch/Hopland – Site upgrades 1-30-2020

​Tomorrow morning we will be upgrading equipment at a site that serves subscribers in Hopland and on the Hopland side of McNab Ranch.  Work is to begin at 10AM and there may be a few brief service interruptions while we move equipment around.  I am hopeful that most subscribers will experience fewer than 15 minutes of downtime during this maintenance window.  We should be finished with the upgrades by 1PM.

Thanks,

– Jacob

North coast outage – Resolved

At approximately 4:30PM today our link to Fort Bragg (and the rest of the North Coast) went down. The cause of the outage is unclear at this time and is possibly a fiber cut. There is also a power outage in the general location of the tower site, but our equipment is running on battery power so that is unlikely to be the cause.

More info to follow.

Thanks,

Jacob

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Update @ 6:23PM

The root cause of the current outage on the North Coast is still currently unknown.  Power is certainly out at the tower site but it is unknown if the equipment is running on battery still.  Requests to the fiber provider for updates on our circuit there have only resulted in opening of trouble tickets at this time.  PGE has no current estimate for power restoration. 

Due to current stormy weather and a steep, rutted tower access road, I have postponed an on-site trip until first light for safety reasons.  I anticipate arriving around 7AM barring fallen trees and the like on the access road that need to be moved.

For fun, you can see a video of the weather conditions at the site shortly before the outage occurred at the following link (caution, the wind noise is quite loud):

​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh8ZWHOQxRU​

More details to follow.

Thanks,

– Jacob

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Update @ 10:50PM

​With restoration of power to our Fort Bragg tower site, service is back up for subscribers on the North Coast.  Tomorrow I will investigate why backup power did not last as long as anticipated.

Thanks,

Jacob